Explore family friendly events, theatres, galleries, concerts, nightlife, things to do, and more in the Greenville, SC and Upstate areas.

Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.

Sunday, June 4, 2023
Call for GCCA Member Artists: GCCA’s 8th Annual Showcase
Jun 4 all-day
online

Become a Member and Save Your Spot by July 21st, 2023

The Annual Showcase is GCCA’s premier event for artists and art lovers of all ages, featuring an exhibition highlighting the talent of over 100 of GCCA’s own Member Artists alongside a special exhibit from the 2022-23 Brandon Fellows, a display of youth artwork created during Summer Art Camps, live artist demos, the launch of our fall schedule of classes, visits with 23 studio artists, a kids’ craft activity provided by ReCraft, and more!

Become a Member of GCCA for a minimum donation of $50 and you can exhibit your artwork in our Annual Showcase! To be eligible to participate, your membership donation is due by July 21 at 11:59 PM. Your online submission and membership reserve one artwork for inclusion in the 8th Annual Showcase exhibition opening on Friday, August 4 from 6 – 9 PM.

Click the button below to learn more about GCCA’s 8th Annual Showcase, entry requirements, and access the submission webform.

Charlotte + Bob Otto 2023 Apprentice Match
Jun 4 all-day
online w/ Flat Rock Playhouse

Support one of the greatest traditions at Flat Rock Playhouse!

2023 Apprentice Benefactors Charlotte and Bob Otto will match your gift 1:1 up to $25,000.

Flat Rock Playhouse’s 2023 Apprentice Program! Don’t miss this chance to DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT!

For over 65 years, a select group of college-age performers participate in an intensive summer at Flat Rock Playhouse that includes on-stage performance and mentoring from FRP professionals. They also perform Rootabaga stories four times a week at the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site and take original educational programs out to schools in four area counties. Apprentices come from prestigious theatre schools across the country and are chosen from more than 1000 students who audition.

Apprentice graduates have gone on to major professional engagements on and off-Broadway, on national tours, and in regional theatres. Notable alumni who have played on Broadway include Michael Luwoye (Hamilton in Hamilton, An American Musical), Adam Kaplan (A Bronx Tale), Ginna Claire Mason (Glinda in Wicked), Jared Goldsmith (Dear Evan Hansen) and Ben Hope (Once). 

Leadership Spartanburg Progarm
Jun 4 all-day
online

Applications for the 2023-24 class of Leadership Spartanburg are open, and will be accepted through June 15, 2023.
Leadership Spartanburg’s next class will run from September 2023 through May 2024, focusing on community information and issues, volunteerism and leadership development. Sessions are held one day a month from 8:30 AM- 4 PM, typically on the third Thursday of the month.

PURPOSE & OBJECTIVES

Leadership Spartanburg gives you a hand in shaping our community’s future.

But, is Leadership Spartanburg for you?

  • Leadership Spartanburg is for anyone who has looked around our county and felt inspired.
  • Leadership for anyone who wants to have a lot of fun meeting 40 other interesting, passionate people from all walks of life.
  • It’s for anyone who has noticed something in our neighborhoods that could be better and wanted to help fix the problem.

Leadership Spartanburg’s approach to community issues is open and honest about the good and the bad. Meetings will challenge you personally and professionally, but challenges are always framed to encourage realistic positive action.

Getting the most out of Leadership Spartanburg requires a long, thoughtful look around as you dig into the program of monthly meetings and experiential small-group learning projects. Leadership Spartanburg will prepare participants to work within their own community and the region as effective leaders capable of making decisions.

The main objectives of Leadership Spartanburg are to:

  • Identify and select highly motivated, potential community leaders to participate in the program.
  • Systematically challenge the participants to become aware of, examine, and respond to the social and economic needs of the community.
  • Develop an esprit de corps among the participants, which will provide a common ground for working together on present and future community needs.
  • Identify organizational and individual opportunities for community involvement and assist in the placement of participants.

PARTICIPANT INFORMATION

Time commitment: An opening session followed by an eight-month curriculum that focuses on community information and issues.

Tuition:

  • OneSpartanburg, Inc. Members: $1,895
  • Non-members: $2,295

Selection Criteria

  • Civic Involvement
  • Leadership Potential
  • Diversity Perspective
  • Commitment to the Leadership Program and the community

2023-24 Session Topics

  • Talent, Place, Economy and Image
  • Spartanburg’s History & Where We’re Headed
  • Fostering Spartanburg’s Educational Attainment
  • Community Issues: Challenges & Successes
  • Spartanburg County’s Economic Excellence
  • Local Talent to Promote Community Cohesion
  • Spartanburg’s Quality of Life & Cultural Assets
  • Health & Wellness: Impacting the Local Communities
Volunteer Opportunities w/ Halter (Therapeutic Horsemanship)
Jun 4 all-day
Halter

Volunteering At Halter

Because we are Path International (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International) sanctioned, volunteers are required to receive training before they can volunteer. Only those 14 or older are allowed to work directly with participants. Experience and knowledge of horses are not necessary. Training covers the basics of working with people with challenges, horse handling, and volunteer responsibilities. Our training class is a good introduction for riding instructors and therapists interested in pursuing further education in equine-assisted services.

For more information about Volunteer Training, please email [email protected] or call Eileen at (864) 398-2114.

Group service projects are also available, contact the Volunteer Coordinator for more information.

Volunteer Application (Ages 14+)

Pony Pals: Fundamentals in Horsemanship

This opportunity is for youth from 10 to 13 years of age. The goal of this program is that youth who successfully complete this program will have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to volunteer as Pony Pals at the end of the 4 weeks. While Pony Pals cannot help with our riders in the arena, they are very valuable in assisting with the horses and completing other tasks. This program is not intended for youth who have significant physical, cognitive or emotional/behavioral challenges. Pony Pals must attend HALTER’s Pony Pal Orientation with a parent/guardian and complete the Pony Pal Horsemanship Education 4-Week Program before they become volunteers.

*Pony Pals are required to have an active parent or guardian that will be on-site, willing and able to assist the child and/or be a Program Volunteer.*

Wild West Adventure Trips w/ Nantahala Outdoor Center
Jun 4 all-day
various locations
Monday, June 5, 2023
2023 BMW Charity Pro-Am Tournament presented by TD SYNNEX
Jun 5 all-day
Thornblade Club & The Carolina Country Club

Don’t miss the 2023 BMW Charity Pro-Am! The only golf tournament on the Korn Ferry Tour where amateurs and celebrities are grouped with Korn Ferry professionals in a three-day better-ball competition over two golf courses.

Amateurs, celebrities, and professionals rotate between two courses, Thornblade Club (Greer, SC) and The Carolina Country Club (Spartanburg, SC), on Thursday and Friday with the twelve lowest-scoring amateur teams and four lowest-scoring celebrity teams advancing to play Saturday’s final amateur round at Thornblade Club. The lowest 65 pros (and ties) will play on Saturday and Sunday at Thornblade Club.

Come out and enjoy the fun—you may even get to meet your favorite celebrity!

Call for GCCA Member Artists: GCCA’s 8th Annual Showcase
Jun 5 all-day
online

Become a Member and Save Your Spot by July 21st, 2023

The Annual Showcase is GCCA’s premier event for artists and art lovers of all ages, featuring an exhibition highlighting the talent of over 100 of GCCA’s own Member Artists alongside a special exhibit from the 2022-23 Brandon Fellows, a display of youth artwork created during Summer Art Camps, live artist demos, the launch of our fall schedule of classes, visits with 23 studio artists, a kids’ craft activity provided by ReCraft, and more!

Become a Member of GCCA for a minimum donation of $50 and you can exhibit your artwork in our Annual Showcase! To be eligible to participate, your membership donation is due by July 21 at 11:59 PM. Your online submission and membership reserve one artwork for inclusion in the 8th Annual Showcase exhibition opening on Friday, August 4 from 6 – 9 PM.

Click the button below to learn more about GCCA’s 8th Annual Showcase, entry requirements, and access the submission webform.

Charlotte + Bob Otto 2023 Apprentice Match
Jun 5 all-day
online w/ Flat Rock Playhouse

Support one of the greatest traditions at Flat Rock Playhouse!

2023 Apprentice Benefactors Charlotte and Bob Otto will match your gift 1:1 up to $25,000.

Flat Rock Playhouse’s 2023 Apprentice Program! Don’t miss this chance to DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT!

For over 65 years, a select group of college-age performers participate in an intensive summer at Flat Rock Playhouse that includes on-stage performance and mentoring from FRP professionals. They also perform Rootabaga stories four times a week at the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site and take original educational programs out to schools in four area counties. Apprentices come from prestigious theatre schools across the country and are chosen from more than 1000 students who audition.

Apprentice graduates have gone on to major professional engagements on and off-Broadway, on national tours, and in regional theatres. Notable alumni who have played on Broadway include Michael Luwoye (Hamilton in Hamilton, An American Musical), Adam Kaplan (A Bronx Tale), Ginna Claire Mason (Glinda in Wicked), Jared Goldsmith (Dear Evan Hansen) and Ben Hope (Once). 

Leadership Spartanburg Progarm
Jun 5 all-day
online

Applications for the 2023-24 class of Leadership Spartanburg are open, and will be accepted through June 15, 2023.
Leadership Spartanburg’s next class will run from September 2023 through May 2024, focusing on community information and issues, volunteerism and leadership development. Sessions are held one day a month from 8:30 AM- 4 PM, typically on the third Thursday of the month.

PURPOSE & OBJECTIVES

Leadership Spartanburg gives you a hand in shaping our community’s future.

But, is Leadership Spartanburg for you?

  • Leadership Spartanburg is for anyone who has looked around our county and felt inspired.
  • Leadership for anyone who wants to have a lot of fun meeting 40 other interesting, passionate people from all walks of life.
  • It’s for anyone who has noticed something in our neighborhoods that could be better and wanted to help fix the problem.

Leadership Spartanburg’s approach to community issues is open and honest about the good and the bad. Meetings will challenge you personally and professionally, but challenges are always framed to encourage realistic positive action.

Getting the most out of Leadership Spartanburg requires a long, thoughtful look around as you dig into the program of monthly meetings and experiential small-group learning projects. Leadership Spartanburg will prepare participants to work within their own community and the region as effective leaders capable of making decisions.

The main objectives of Leadership Spartanburg are to:

  • Identify and select highly motivated, potential community leaders to participate in the program.
  • Systematically challenge the participants to become aware of, examine, and respond to the social and economic needs of the community.
  • Develop an esprit de corps among the participants, which will provide a common ground for working together on present and future community needs.
  • Identify organizational and individual opportunities for community involvement and assist in the placement of participants.

PARTICIPANT INFORMATION

Time commitment: An opening session followed by an eight-month curriculum that focuses on community information and issues.

Tuition:

  • OneSpartanburg, Inc. Members: $1,895
  • Non-members: $2,295

Selection Criteria

  • Civic Involvement
  • Leadership Potential
  • Diversity Perspective
  • Commitment to the Leadership Program and the community

2023-24 Session Topics

  • Talent, Place, Economy and Image
  • Spartanburg’s History & Where We’re Headed
  • Fostering Spartanburg’s Educational Attainment
  • Community Issues: Challenges & Successes
  • Spartanburg County’s Economic Excellence
  • Local Talent to Promote Community Cohesion
  • Spartanburg’s Quality of Life & Cultural Assets
  • Health & Wellness: Impacting the Local Communities
VIRTUAL RAILFAN is live!
Jun 5 all-day
online w/ Hub City RR Museum

VIRTUAL RAILFAN is live from the Hub City RR Museum in Spartanburg.

The Virtual Railfan cameras were installed on Tuesday, July 6th at the Hub City Railroad Museum. There is one camera looking north and one looking south. The Hub City RR Museum wants to thank the City of Spartanburg for allowing us to install the cameras, and to Virtual Railfan for the install. We have already seen over 300 railfans at one time watching the video feed.
Links to live feeds: [North Camera feed] [South Camera feed]

Carolina Railroad Heritage Association

CRHA LogoThe Carolina Railroad Heritage Association is a <501(c)(3)> not for profit local association of approximately eighty members who enjoy railroads and railroad history. The CRHA is currently meeting the third Friday of each month in Fountain Inn, SC at 7:00 pm. Programs at the meetings include presentations on historical and current railroads and are presented by members as well as outside speakers. Our activities include a photo contest, occasional field trips to local railroad sites, picnics and a December pot luck dinner. CRHA members volunteer at our museum and caboose in Spartanburg, SC. If you have an interest in railroads, contact Dave Winans at [email protected] for more information about the CRHA.

For membership, please download and print the membership application and follow the instructions.

Museum Hours:
Wed: 10am – 2pm
Sat: 10am – 2pm

Volunteer Opportunities BMW Charity Pro-Am
Jun 5 all-day
Thornblade Club & The Carolina Country Club
Each volunteer pays $50 and will receive the following:
  • Official OOBE polo
  • Cap or Visor
  • Two Patron Credentials
  • Memorable Pin
  • Breakfast and lunch each day you work
  • Daily Happy Hour

The best part, for every day you work $20.00 is donated to one of the featured charities of your choice.

 

After the tournament, we offer our volunteers the opportunity to play in the Nancy Smith Invitational (our official volunteer golf outing) at Thornblade Club. 100 volunteers are picked at random, only requirements are:

  • The volunteer is registered and paid
  • The volunteer MUST work a minimum of two days

 

The fun doesn’t end there though….we also do a volunteer appreciation party! This is a great opportunity for volunteers to get to know one another and for us to show y’all how much we appreciate you!

Greenville State Farmers Market
Jun 5 @ 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Greenville State Farmers Market

 

The Greenville State Farmers Market includes retail sheds and farmer stalls that offer a wide variety of locally grown products and specialty goods. Both quality and variety are standards for the volume of products offered for sale at the Greenville State Farmers Market. Market operations continue Monday – Saturday all year long, ceasing for only two holidays: Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Find information about upcoming events and what’s in season at our market’s Facebook page.

 

Office Hours

Monday – Friday  •  7:30 am – 4 pm
Closed on State Holidays

 

Retail Hours

Monday – Saturday  •  8 am – 6 pm
Admission and parking are free
Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day

Biltmore Estate: Ciao! From Italy Sculptural Postcard Display
Jun 5 @ 8:30 am
Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.

Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.

Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!

Power Up Dialogues with Sarah Butler and Brian Brady
Jun 5 @ 8:30 am – 9:30 am
OneSpartanburg, Inc. | Milliken Board Room

The next Power Up Dialogues features two professionals with experience training young entrepreneurs – specifically, business minded students. Sarah Butler, Launch Program Manager at Wofford College, has over a decade of higher education experience; and Brian Brady, Director for the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at USC Upstate, has been in and around the entrepreneurship, accelerator, and incubator industry for nearly 15 years. This Dialogue will focus on what skills and information is being taught to student entrepreneurs before they launch their business ideas, why, and how the small business community in Spartanburg can connect with these leaders.

Wofford’s Launch Program is a community dedicated to bringing innovative ideas to life and is focused on providing entrepreneurial training to students. Their CONCEPT —STRATEGY —GROWTH framework provides targeted support for the demands that a venture will experience, ultimately leading to success.

Sarah Butler, Launch Program Manager, Wofford College
The Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) at USC Upstate’s George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business and Economics (JCBE) provides aspiring student entrepreneurs across all academic disciplines with opportunities, tools and resources needed to conceptualize and launch their small businesses. CEI also serves as an innovation hub for the Upstate’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by fostering collaboration and providing access to education, faculty research and expertise, and community engagement. 

Brian Brady, Director, Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, USC Upstate

Power Up Dialogues aims to connect small business owners or soon-to-be owners to local experts, success stories, and networking.

Swamp Rabbit Trail Tour
Jun 5 @ 9:30 am
Reedy Rides

The Swamp Rabbit Trail is a 22-mile multi-use (walking and bicycling) greenway that traverses along the Reedy River, an old railroad corridor and City parks to connect Travelers Rest with the city of Greenville, South Carolina.

From our location, you can venture south on the trail through Greenville’s many parks. The Swamp Rabbit links up with Falls Park on the Reedy, Cancer Survivors Park and down into Cleveland Park. Heading north, you’ll see how the trail has transformed from an old railbed to a thriving trail with many breweries and eateries, as you head toward Furman University (7 miles) and Travelers Rest (1 miles).

 

Running every Monday/Wednesday 9:30am and 2:30pm and Fridays at 2:30pm

 

2 Hours | Approx 8-10 Miles | $65 per person

Italian Renaissance Alive
Jun 5 @ 10:00 am
Biltmore Estate

Explore Biltmore House with an Audio Guide that introduces you to the Vanderbilt family and their magnificent home’s history, architecture, and collections of fine art and furnishings.

PLUS: Immersive, multi-sensory Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition created by Grande Experiences

PLUS: FREE next-day access to Biltmore’s Gardens and Grounds

This visit includes access to:

  • Italian Renaissance Alive at Amherst at Deerpark®
  • 8,000 Acres of Gardens and Grounds for two consecutive days
  • Antler Hill Village & Winery
  • Complimentary Wine Tastings at the Winery
  • Tastings require a Day-of-Visit Reservation, which can be made by:
    • Scanning the QR Code found in your Estate Guide
    • Visiting any Guest Services location
  • Complimentary parking

Art Exhibition: Italian Renaissance Alive

This fascinating experience takes you on a spellbinding tour of Italy, fully immersing you in the beauty and brilliance of iconic masterworks from the greatest artistic period in history

Historic Neighborhoods + Architecture Tour
Jun 5 @ 10:30 am
Greenville History Tours

Our city has great architectural examples of styles that span the last 200 years and charming neighborhoods that give them context.

Our downtown is blessed with a selection of historic neighborhoods that encircle our city center, providing a great mix of the progress surrounding the Main Street area with the stability of traditional domestic living. As the young village of Greenville formed in the late 1700s, homes were naturally scattered around the region with large tracts of land tied to them. This tour traces the development of Greenville’s neighborhoods on the North and West sides of the Reedy River, taking you on a pleasant drive to see the variety of architectural styles, hear stories of their home-owners, and understand the role in Greenville’s revitalization.

Tours will take place in a comfortable Ford Transit high-roof tour van. Digital photographs will be shown on a screen to provide insights into the information that you hear from the tour guide. Your tour guide, John Nolan, is a local historian and author of “A Guide to Historic Greenville, SC” and “The Lost Restaurants of Greenville, SC

Highlights include:

• Current downtown condos and apartments

• Pettigru Neighborhood

• Alta Vista / Crescent Ave.

• Augusta Road neighborhood

• Mills Mill village

• Hampton Pinkney neighborhood

The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad
Jun 5 @ 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Back by popular demand, The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad exhibition offers guests:

  • An opportunity to view rarely-seen treasures from the Biltmore collection
  • A first-hand look at the Vanderbilts’ lifestyle
  • Deeper insights into George, Edith, and Cornelia’s personalities, both at home and on their extensive travels

Access to exhibitions at The Biltmore Legacy is included with Biltmore daytime admission.

Summer Animal Encounters
Jun 5 @ 2:00 pm
Chimney Rock State Park
Weekdays only at 2pm

Do you know our staff has a wild side? Join a Park naturalist to meet some of our live Animal Ambassadors and learn about the types of wildlife in the area and their jobs. Some of our best educators have feathers, fur, shells or scales!

Swamp Rabbit Trail Tour
Jun 5 @ 2:30 pm
Reedy Rides

The Swamp Rabbit Trail is a 22-mile multi-use (walking and bicycling) greenway that traverses along the Reedy River, an old railroad corridor and City parks to connect Travelers Rest with the city of Greenville, South Carolina.

From our location, you can venture south on the trail through Greenville’s many parks. The Swamp Rabbit links up with Falls Park on the Reedy, Cancer Survivors Park and down into Cleveland Park. Heading north, you’ll see how the trail has transformed from an old railbed to a thriving trail with many breweries and eateries, as you head toward Furman University (7 miles) and Travelers Rest (1 miles).